French Valley Standoff Ends in Domestic Violence Arrest

Following a six-hour standoff with sheriff’s deputies, a French Valley man was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of domestic violence, a sergeant has confirmed.

The incident began around 9 p.m. Sunday when the wife of the suspect, 26-year-old Jacob Lee Runchey, exited their Flowering Plum Court home and told a neighbor her husband had just assaulted her, according to Sgt. Steve Fredericks.

The neighbor in turn called 911, Fredericks said, and deputies from the Southwest Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to the home off of Beech Street and south of Benton Road.

Because the victim allegedly told responding deputies that her husband was intoxicated with three young children in the home and access to weapons, Fredericks said a perimeter was set up and a PA system used in an effort to get Runchey out of the home.

Fredericks said deputies knew he was inside because they had witnessed him enter the garage and close the door as they were arriving on scene. Further, Runchey allegedly failed to open the door to responding deputies.

At about 3 a.m., a sheriff’s crisis negotiation team was successful in their efforts to get the suspect out of the home.

“He finally came out of the house...peacefully,” Fredericks said.

The three children were not injured during the course of the standoff, according to the sergeant.

“This was not a hostage situation,” he said.

Runchey was taken into custody and booked at the nearby Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant, which is a felony. He was released Monday after posting $50,000 bond, jail records show.